Happy Monday, y’all!
If you’ve been around here for a while now, you know that one of my favorite challenges is to help folks decorate using what they already have. So when my friend Laura asked if I’d help her and her sister (who lives in the other half of her duplex) decorate their mantels for Christmas on budget of under 25 bucks, I could hardly wait to get started!
Before I headed to Laura‘s, I pulled together a bunch of things that I wasn’t going to be using in my Christmas decorating this year so that she and her sister could put them to good use. Laura also pulled out all her Christmas decor, and here’s a look at her mantel before we got started…
…and here’s what I had fun coming up with using the things she and I already had:
You’ll notice I asked her to paint the (non-working) fireplace between my first and second visit too. I love how crisp the black looks with the white surround!
As for decor, we went with a camp/Southern kind of vibe, and the only thing she purchased was a four-dollar bag of faux snow- which she used a 40% off coupon on.
I got the bark-covered vases a while back, but I *think* they came from TJ Maxx.
I criss-crossed the measuring tape ribbon (Michaels?) on them to mimic the X on the Alabama state flag poster we used on the wall.
Laura’s last name is Bell, so we *had* to work in their little bell collection:
I got the White Christmas framed print from Lindsay Letters a few years ago and was so excited to learn that it’s Laura’s favorite Christmas movie! đ
Over in Laura’s sister’s side of the duplex, we had another nice, blank slate to work with:
To switch things up, I went with a more neutral/traditional theme over here:
One of their friends did the lettering on the chalkboard (which is tied to a funny “Home Alone” memory they share), and everything (except the “G” stocking) came from my house.
Full discloure: the green and white stockings aren’t actually green and off-white in real life (they’re red and off-white), but I forgot the cable knit and fur stockings I was going to let her borrow, so I made them match the rest of the display using Photoshop- ha!
For those of you working with a small to no budget this year, I hope some of these ideas are inspiring and helpful. Creating mantel displays is one of my absolute favorite things to do, and I look forward to showing you ours here next week! đ
Layla
PS- If you’d like a sneak peek of my Christmas decorating process, make sure to meet me over on my Instagram stories this week. And thank you so much for helping me dream up names for my Wednesday decorating ideas excursions. I look forward to sharing my Top 2 for a final vote on Instagram stories tomorrow! đ
janet scuka
“…… you filthy animal” doesn’t seem appropriate for a Christmas-y mantel.
Layla
Says you! đ It’s tied to a funny memory for them, so that’s all that matters! đ
MH
It’s from a funny Christmas movie. You would have had to see it to get the reference.
MeggieB
I have a sweatshirt that says this…my oldest son wore it, then my daughter, and in a few years my oldest son will be able to. I think it’s hilarious đ
brenda
so great to have some beautiful encouragement for those of us on strict budgets AND it seems we could scurry about our own homes and not spend $$ or that much time. THANK YOU LAYLA PALMER!!!
MERRY CHRISTMAS AND HAPPY NEW YEAR.
Layla
Thank YOU, Brenda! đ I hope you and yours are having a very Merry Christmas season too!
Anne Pik
My daughter has that very same saying on her mantel board because their family loves the movie, “Home Alone”. Perfectly appropriate and individuality is sublime. Merry Christmas Layla & family.
Layla
Thanks for commenting, Anne! Wishing you and yours a very Merry Christmas too! đ
Kris
Thanks for clarifying the giant X. At first I was puzzled, but now it makes sense to me. đ Nice inspiration, Layla. I suspect the majority of readers appreciate budget-friendly ways to be festive.
Barb A Dyess
My adult kids would totally get the ‘filthy animal’ quote, haha! It’s lovely that you are lending decor items for your neighbors to borrow…our good friends here loaned us a 9′ fakey-tree with white lights, since they aren’t using it, and it rocks to save that money this year! (It also shows me that its the size tree I really like & will fit our space)
Nice work. BTW, I LOVED your little vid about your son, and how delighted you were when someone recognized you as his mother! Your delight was just the sweetest thing & touched my heart deeply.
Blessings & Merry Christmas – He is born!
Barb ~~
Heather Ferrill
Hey Layla!
I love all of the mantles you do! Iâm hoping that one day you will give some mantle inspiration to those of us who also have TVâs incorporated into our mantles ::sigh::
Thanks đ
Julia
I really like the green stripped stockings! You are so cleaver with your photo shop! Merry Christmas!
JoAnn O'Connor
Love love love small budget recycled/upcycled happiness. I was puzzled by the big red X as well, but now I know. Sweet home Alabama for Christmas. Love that â¤
Deanna Rabe
It so great to use what you have and loan out or giveaway stuff you aren’t using. My son and daughter in law are on a tight budget so we gave them and old artificial tree we don’t use anymore, and a bunch of ornaments and stuff for the tree that were just sitting in my basement never being used! My dil has decorated and made that tree a thing of beauty with no money spent. That’s a blessing!
This post is going to encourage so many people, Layla! Good work, girl!
Lisa W.
AS ALWAYS the mantels look AMAZING!!!! And I LOVE the chalk art, one of the best holiday movies EVER!!!! Can’t wait to see your mantel!!!